First hard synth ideas?

Electronic Music Production // Dark Arts
User avatar
Macca
durchfall
Posts: 478
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:07 pm
Location: Scotland, Glasgow
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Macca »

Im strruggling with the filter envolope on it :P im so used to sylenth, but having so much fun making weak ass basses ;) but ill get there.
Website: www.stevenmcfarlane.design
Instagram: @stevenmcfarlanedesign

User avatar
Lost to the Void
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 13518
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:31 pm
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Lost to the Void »

The filter envelope on the minibrute is quite sensitive in the first 5th of movement from zero (especially on the attack), so tiny increments will have quite big differences. Once you get used to it, it`s pretty easy to dial in what you want.
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
New Shit
Techno is dead. Long live Techno.

User avatar
Macca
durchfall
Posts: 478
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:07 pm
Location: Scotland, Glasgow
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Macca »

Lost to the Void wrote:The filter envelope on the minibrute is quite sensitive in the first 5th of movement from zero (especially on the attack), so tiny increments will have quite big differences. Once you get used to it, it`s pretty easy to dial in what you want.
Yeah cheers man, i noticed that straight away when I was using the asdr, but then realised theres a bit for fast and slow envolpes on the asdr.

Sorry for like spamming this thread with posts btw, just so chuffed.
Ran it though my old guitar speaker with no bass, but disortion and reverb on it and sounded so cool.

Really need to get myself monitors.
Website: www.stevenmcfarlane.design
Instagram: @stevenmcfarlanedesign

User avatar
Lost to the Void
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 13518
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:31 pm
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Lost to the Void »

Even on slow the envelopes are still kinda fast. Not a problem though.
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
New Shit
Techno is dead. Long live Techno.

User avatar
Macca
durchfall
Posts: 478
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:07 pm
Location: Scotland, Glasgow
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Macca »

Just for the future, is virus access b a good synth?
Or any other poly ones with lots of knobs. The going into menus would really lose the fun for me in synth making, just know in a few months ill want to be able to play chords again.
Website: www.stevenmcfarlane.design
Instagram: @stevenmcfarlanedesign

User avatar
Senko
decent
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2013 3:45 pm
Location: US
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Senko »

I really wouldn't rule out wave table synthesis. It's capable of doing some really amazing sounds.

User avatar
Hades
Shit Eater
Posts: 9795
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:02 am
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Hades »

Senko wrote:I really wouldn't rule out wave table synthesis. It's capable of doing some really amazing sounds.
though I asbolutely agree,
OP's first post did say he was planning on learning more about sound design.
Best way to do that is to get a RA or VA synth with a great interface,
preferably almost a knob or slider per parameter, and as little menu-diving as possible.

wavetable synths can give you great sounds, but thye're not as easy to learn sound design on as regular RA/VA synths.
I got a wavetable synth pretty early in my synth buying years (which never seem to end),
and it was collecting dust for years cause I didn't feel "comfortable" enough working with it.
Took it out from storage a while back and I'm loving it now, but I was never able to "gel" with it originally.
Sin cambios no hay mariposa


User avatar
Macca
durchfall
Posts: 478
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:07 pm
Location: Scotland, Glasgow
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Macca »

Aw man believe me I wont rule it out.
Ive seen/heard what they can do.

Just being a beginner to this, I think having fun would be more important right now, making me want to learn more if that makes sense?
Website: www.stevenmcfarlane.design
Instagram: @stevenmcfarlanedesign

User avatar
Mslwte
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 5903
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 7:32 pm
Contact:
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Mslwte »

I know you say you want to buy a hardware synth but I think if you were to combine sylenth which is a great synth to learn synthesis and any hardware synth that has knobs and sliders you will get all from those.
https://soundcloud.com/mslwte
https://noizefacilityrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/subsekt909
https://www.facebook.com/subsekt909/
Lost to the Void wrote:Fuck off, get some tequila down ya neck and make some noise you cunt....

tdmusic
Informer
Posts: 950
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:41 pm
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by tdmusic »

Macca wrote:Just for the future, is virus access b a good synth?
Or any other poly ones with lots of knobs. The going into menus would really lose the fun for me in synth making, just know in a few months ill want to be able to play chords again.
See earlier in thread for my brief comments - I have a Virus B and I really like it so far. Yet to have the time to get really stuck into it but it is capable of a huge range of sounds and has a really nice character to it. It's not totally one knob per control as there is so much to control (e.g. the third osc was added after the B was released, so there are no hardware controls for it, you have to enter the osc menu), but the important things have direct access and the menus are pretty intuitively structured so you can get to what you want pretty quickly. If you really do want one knob per control, the Nord Lead might be worth a look.

User avatar
UN!T
Lifer
Posts: 741
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 4:40 am
Location: Send cash or fuck off
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by UN!T »

tdmusic wrote: See earlier in thread for my brief comments - I have a Virus B and I really like it so far. Yet to have the time to get really stuck into it but it is capable of a huge range of sounds and has a really nice character to it. It's not totally one knob per control as there is so much to control (e.g. the third osc was added after the B was released, so there are no hardware controls for it, you have to enter the osc menu), but the important things have direct access and the menus are pretty intuitively structured so you can get to what you want pretty quickly. If you really do want one knob per control, the Nord Lead might be worth a look.
The nord lead has hidden shit too. There are functions where you need to remember to press shift + something to do things like hard sync the lfo to clock. Imo, the Access, Xt and nord are still knob per function. The whole term is sort of misleading. Its a bit more like do you get knobs for all the basic modules that comprise a synth? Osc, Lfo, Fil, Fil Env, Mixer, Amp. Does it have knobs for each of those functions in a module. So Xt knob per, Access knob per. Blofeld, not. It has knobs but not for all of the basic modules. Besides if the Xt had true knob per function it would be well over 100 knobs. That would make it huge and very expensive. Better to represent all the basic modules and give them knobs and hide the other shit away. This is why the Nord Lead was such a huge success in the mid 90's was a knobby interface with the benefits of digital OS.
C0REZ wrote:techno 2014 = fascism
:lol:

User avatar
Mslwte
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 5903
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 7:32 pm
Contact:
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Mslwte »

The blofeld is a lot more knobs per function if you use the vst editor :lol:

It might even be 100%
https://soundcloud.com/mslwte
https://noizefacilityrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/subsekt909
https://www.facebook.com/subsekt909/
Lost to the Void wrote:Fuck off, get some tequila down ya neck and make some noise you cunt....

User avatar
Macca
durchfall
Posts: 478
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:07 pm
Location: Scotland, Glasgow
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Macca »

Mmmm damn that nord lead looks sweet, Is the nord lead rack good? or would I be better saving for a newer one? Planning on second hand anyways.

And gonna have a look at the blofeld synths when I get home.

Cheers again guys for all the replies and help.
Website: www.stevenmcfarlane.design
Instagram: @stevenmcfarlanedesign

User avatar
Wiu
Slowy J
Posts: 1316
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 12:44 pm
Location: Horsham, UK
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Wiu »

Macca wrote:Mmmm damn that nord lead looks sweet, Is the nord lead rack good? or would I be better saving for a newer one? Planning on second hand anyways.

And gonna have a look at the blofeld synths when I get home.

Cheers again guys for all the replies and help.
And another Hardware junkie is born :lol:
Thank you for the laughs, debate, new music found, production tips etc etc over the years. I wish Subsekt and everyone all the best for the future. Wiu.

User avatar
Macca
durchfall
Posts: 478
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:07 pm
Location: Scotland, Glasgow
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Macca »

Wiu wrote:
Macca wrote:Mmmm damn that nord lead looks sweet, Is the nord lead rack good? or would I be better saving for a newer one? Planning on second hand anyways.

And gonna have a look at the blofeld synths when I get home.

Cheers again guys for all the replies and help.
And another Hardware junkie is born :lol:

Yeah, I think this is gonna be addictive, after I have a mono and poly ill do my best not to buy more, but who am i kidding? ha.
Website: www.stevenmcfarlane.design
Instagram: @stevenmcfarlanedesign

tdmusic
Informer
Posts: 950
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:41 pm
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by tdmusic »

Macca wrote: And gonna have a look at the blofeld synths when I get home.
Might have already said this but worth reiterating, the Blofeld had (have?) some quality control issues with the encoders. I bought one second hand and it wasn't really usable as both the encoders under the screen would jump around at random. You can get it fixed by Waldorf but I'd definitely recommend either considering buying new (so you get the warranty) or if not, buy from eBay so you can return it (which I did, glad I hadn't got that one from Gumtree).

I was also a bit underwhelmed when I did have a brief play with it, the sounds were great but I felt that the interface didn't really offer that much over a VST mapped to a MIDI controller, and was actually perhaps less convenient in some ways. But maybe I would have changed my mind if I'd had a bit more time to get to grips with it. Worth keeping in mind that they do the Largo VSTi which I believe is very similar to the Blofeld, if you do want that sound specifically.

User avatar
Macca
durchfall
Posts: 478
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:07 pm
Location: Scotland, Glasgow
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Macca »

So whats your veiws on the blofeld?
After looking around it suits me price wise, size wise, and fuck it, Im still turning knobs might just take a little longer.

When I get home ill have a listen to some demos obviously just seeing if anyone could shove some more idea before then.
Website: www.stevenmcfarlane.design
Instagram: @stevenmcfarlanedesign

User avatar
Senko
decent
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2013 3:45 pm
Location: US
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by Senko »

Just a matter of how you use it. No one can tell you whether it's good or bad. You are your own judge. Imo it's one of the best synths in it's price range, if not the best.

User avatar
blnn
Gnasher
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:16 am
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by blnn »

Macca wrote:Hey guys,

Planning on buying a hardware synth to learn more about sound design and such as actually having a synth in your hand to use is way more fun if you ask me.

No idea where to start though?
and budget of about £300? (if any that are amazing above that willing to go higher) Going second hand also.

I love the hard hitting/bassy/gritty sounds
My vote for MFB synths if you have interest in the things I quoted in red.... ;)

User avatar
blnn
Gnasher
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:16 am
Re: First hard synth ideas?

Post by blnn »

Well, now I read you have a mini brute... that could be good as well, but I hate to pay for keyboards, specially in monophonic analog synths...


Post Reply